Qualitone
Qualitone superheterodyne front view

     This Qualitone superhet dates to around late 1924 to early 1925. Dale Davenport used to own this set and he speculated that it was a factory wired set, and I’m inclined to agree with him. It could probably use a little restoration work but I will probably leave it just the way it is. Here are some particulars of this set:

    1. Qualitone Type SH7 engraved panel, 30” long by 7” high by 3/16” thick.
    2. Qualitone IF transformers (and probably Qualitone oscillator coupler).
    3. Karas audio transformer.
    4. Webster Electric Company tuning capacitors.
    5. General Radio rheostat and potentiometer.
    6. Benjamin UV type tube sockets.
    7. Seven tubes.
Qualitone top chassis view

     Top chassis view of the Qualitone superhet. The parts layout is excellent with very short leads to the plate and grid connections of most of the tubes. Most of the parts date from the 1924-1925 time frame, including the Karas “Harmonik” audio transformer, the Dublier mica and paper capacitors, and the UV type tube sockets.
Qualitone IF transformer
Qualitone IF transformer top view

     Two different views of the Qualitone filter transformer. This style of transformer is identical to the Klentz transformer. The transformer has a unique shape which means that there must be some connection between Qualitone and Klentz. There could be a connection with Webster Electrical Company also, because early Klentz transformers from 1924 had the same shape as Webster RF transformers from 1923. The Webster tuning capacitors in this set kind of tie things together a little bit.
Webster RF transformer RN April 1923

     Webster RF transformer, as advertised in the April, 1923, Radio News magazine.
Klentz IF CRCB Fall 1924

     Klentz IF transformer, as advertised in the Fall, 1924, Citizens Radio Call Book.
Qualiton-Webster tuning capacitor

     Webster Electrical Company tuning capacitor. There appears to be some connection between Qualitone, Klentz, and Webster.
Qualitone-Klentz superheterodyne schematic CRCB Fall 1924

     Parts layout and schematic diagram for a Klentz superheterodyne described in the Fall, 1924, Citizens Radio Call Book. This layout and schematic is very close to the Qualitone superhet. The Klentz has two rheostats, whereas the Qualitone only has one.
Qualitone oscillator coupler

     Close up view of the Qualitone oscillator coupler.
Qualitone engraving close up

Close up view of the engraved panel.

Name tag affixed to the underside of the cabinet lid.
Qualitone lid nametag
Qualitone document

     This is a document that was found inside the radio. It shows the dial setting of the Heterodyne control (HET) and the Wavelength control (WAV) to pick up different stations. These stations were probably heard in the Texas area, because Dale Davenport purchased the radio at an auction in Texas in about 2001.
Qualitone top chassis angle view

     Inside angle view of the Qualitone superheterodyne.
Qualitone-Klentz superheterodyne advertisement CRCB Fall 1925

     Advertisement for the Klentz IF transformers as copied from the Fall, 1925, Citizens Radio Call Book. The Qualitone transformers appear to be identical to this style of Klentz transformers.

Page added November 16, 2018 (updated January 1, 2019)

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